The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-05-27
WASHINGTON LETTER

Prom our Regular CoFTespondent.l
wAsHsaroS. d. c. May 23rd, 1887.
To-day more than a thousand tents
whiten the greensward that stretches
around the Washington Monument.
The troops are now sll here who intend
ed to participate in the National Drill,
and they represent the Alsbama, Ar
kansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Dakota,
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Ken
tucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New York, North Caro-
lima, Ohio. Rhode Island, Texas, Ten
nessce, Virginia, Washington Terri
tory and the District of Columbia
The Dnll opened this morning, but
the day was consumed by some formal
tiles such as naming the camp, issuing
orders, receiving the latest arrivals OF
troops, etc, and this evening there was
= dress parade by all of the organizs.
tions encamped, but The competitive
drill begins tomorrow. The soldiers
here represent the flower of the Nation
al Guard OF their States, and many OF
the commands are noted for their ex-
cellent discipline, aud won trophies IN
State and interstate drills.
Such a camp has not been seen 10
this country since the veterans OF the
civil war broke their camp 10 '65.
Now the soldiers of the North, South,
East aud West assemble in one camp
and contend in friendly strife for the
trophies of the peaceful drill ground.
tie week will be exceedingly lively in
Washington. 1t will be filled with
events, brilliant street psgeants, attrac-
tive drills, reviews and street parades.
Washington can boast in superlative
language Of many things. 1t has the
largest public buildings, the most beau.
tiful streets, the widest and the smooth
est psvements,t the finest public grounds,
the greatest number of shade trees and
fountains and statues, the highest mon
ument and many other things the
most wonderful and best and biggest
of their kind, and now it adds to the
list the largest competitive drill. Up
to this time the greatest gathering of
the kind was Camp R. G. Drum" in
Mobile, two years ago, but the Nation
al Drill exceeds that more than three
fold in the number of military bodies
that will take part
The good people of Washington are
rejoicing that the order permitting the
sale Of intoxicating liquors on the
drill ground has been revoked. The
bar privilege of the ground has been
sold by the Drill committee for Sl,S00,
but it is settled that only temperance
drinks shall be dispensed at tie refresh
ment counter under the grand stand
this week. The revocation of the privi
leges has been attributed to the infiu-
ence of the President through the efforts
of some ladies of the w. T. G. q. who
called upon him to interfere, and also
to suggestion from the Commissioner
of public grounds, to the effect that
the War Department, Ito which the
drill ground belongs) would be graft
fed if the committee would exclude in
toxicating liquors. But from whatever
source the influence may have come,
most people were pleased with the final
decision and action Of the National
Drill Committee.
After the close of the Drill the Presi-
dent will take vacation of about ten
days, accompanied by Mrs. Cleveland,
Colonel Lamont and his family. They
will go to Saranac Lake, New York,
where the fishing is said to be good at
this season. 1t is said they will 60 on
the second of June, which is the ami
versary of the Presidents marriage.
Doubtless he feels the need of rest, and
the event could not, probably, be cele-
brated in way more agreeable to him.
| The financial situation has been de-
manding great deal of the Presidents g
time and attention of late, as, indeed,
it is the most important question nov
before him. On last Wednesday night
the Secretary Of the Treasury remained
at the White House until two o'clock
in the morning, talking over the matter
with him. He is being urged by the
advocates of tariff reduction to call an
extra session of Congress early in the
fall for the purpose of considering rev.
enue measures But Secretary Fair.
child is so safe and conservative a
manager that there can be no real
cause of alarm concerning the stingency
of the money market, whether Congress
is specially convened or not. Beside:
the Secretary's powers are sufficient
under existing laws to enable him tc
ward off any threatened danger. In
the worst contingency that can be i'm.
agined he is at liberty to step irto the
open market and buy bonds for Gov
ernment account.